Novant Health Foundation Presbyterian Medical Center Announces Campaign to Build Comprehensive Outpatient Facility for Heart and Cancer Patients

Major donor has committed gift of $10 million

Novant Health Foundation Presbyterian Medical Center announced today a major gift from the John M. Belk family to kick off a $60 million capital campaign to take on the nation’s number one and number two killers – cancer and heart disease.

The campaign, named Groundbreaking, will support the construction of an outpatient heart & vascular and cancer facility, located across from Presbyterian Medical Center at the corner of Fifth St. and Hawthorne Ln. This facility, the only one of its kind in the region, will enhance patient-centered care coordination, improve accessibility, increase affordability and provide leading-edge treatments for patients facing these challenging diagnoses that often require numerous appointments over the course of many months. Charlotte currently is the largest city of its size with only one outpatient cancer facility and no multidisciplinary heart center for patients.

More than a medical office building, this comprehensive facility will function as a hub for virtually all outpatient needs a heart or cancer patient may have, including:

• Cardiac prevention and screening
• Multidisciplinary cancer clinics, where newly diagnosed patients can have their case reviewed by a team of experts
• Cancer clinics for radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology and gynecologic oncology
• Heart and vascular clinics for cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease and valve disorders
• Dedicated cardiac and cancer nurse navigators
• Research and clinical trials
• Infusion center with more than 40 bays
• Cardiac and cancer rehabilitation and wellness, offering yoga, massage, nutrition and PT/OT/speech services
• Imaging services
• Cardio-oncology, an emerging field of medicine dedicated to minimizing the cardiovascular impact of cancer treatment
• Chapel
• Café
• Cancer urgent care
• Sky bridge connecting the facility to Presbyterian Medical Center to support continuity of care
• Adjacent pediatric subspecialty complex to house cancer and heart services

The addition of a cancer urgent care will bring a vital new service to Charlotte, making it one of only three urgent cares across the country that is designed to protect immuno-compromised patients from germs potentially found in community emergency and urgent care settings.

“Thanks to clinical advancements, heart and cancer patients are living longer,” said Harry Smith, president, Novant Health greater Charlotte market. “With a shift from traditional inpatient medicine to multidisciplinary outpatient treatment, it’s our responsibility as healthcare providers to make sure that every touch point along the journey is easy for our patients to access. That’s what this facility is all about; creating connections and improving the healthcare experience.”

The campaign’s lead donor, the John M. Belk family, has pledged a total of $10 million. The Belk donation will be used to construct the Novant Health John M. and Claudia W. Belk Heart & Vascular Institute. “Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center’s vision to provide a single point of care for cardiac patients will help improve life outcomes for many people across our community,” said Mary Claudia Belk Pilon, the Belks’ daughter. “They continue to lead the way in healthcare solutions and we are honored to continue our long-standing partnership and support this transformative vision.”

“The generosity the Belk family has already shown is remarkable,” said Paula Vincent, president, Novant Health Foundation. “Their enthusiasm underscores the tremendous need for these services in our community, and Novant Health is committed to improving access, collaboration and – ultimately – outcomes for those facing a cardiac or cancer diagnosis.”

According to Vincent, the campaign will last 18 months, with total project costs estimated at $100 million. Construction on the 150,000 square-foot building is scheduled to complete in December 2017. For more information about the GroundBreaking campaign, including ways to get involved, visit NovantHealth.org/groundbreaking.